How’s it going? Hope the coffee is flowing! Today I am going to be talking about a gem of a coffee shop, or more accurately drink shop, my wife found for me during a recent trip to Iowa. When I travel for work I like to try to find coffee shops to visit and review in advance. Due to some health issues I was unable to do my usual research. Before I even touched down in Iowa my terrific wife sent me Spire Drink Co.’s information and I am so glad she did. I was able to try four of their drinks during my time out there, so this will be a four for one deal for you all.
Spire Drink Co. is owned by husband and wife Nicolas and Danielle, and if you stop by the shop chances are you will see one of, if not both of them. They were there each time I visited and were delightful to speak with. They originally purchased the location as a real estate investment but then decided to use the prime location as an opportunity to create a business that would allow them to give back to the community both by the product they create and allowing members of the community to meet in the shop. They are great hosts and Danielle has developed a menu with some very creative drinks. I stayed a little more conservative with my choices, but my favorite item on the menu, which I did not try, was called the Jerry, which Danielle explained is a surprise drink she crafts on the spot based on a few questions she asks the customer. Without further ado, lets talk about the items that I did order! First up was the house blend.
Spire Drink Co. House Blend Review:
The first item I tasted at Spire Drink Co. was their house blend, as I like to try a shop’s house blend when I know I am going to be reviewing multiple drinks. Spire’s house blend had a nice malty nose, with roasty notes along with a mild sweetness. It had a nice medium body and was smooth with very little acidity.
The coffee starts with slight citrus notes, providing a lemony front with a touch of sweetness. The roastiness from the nose comes through in the middle as the citrusy sweetness gives way to a caramel-like sweetness. The flavor profile flipped back to citrus the finish and ended with a mild sweetness.
Overall, I found this to be a really great house blend. It had an interesting flavor profile that was complex enough to make it unique while still having mass appeal. I tend to find house blends to be simple, sometimes to their detriment. This was not the case with Spire’s house blend, and I would absolutely order this again.
The house blend left me really excited to sample my favorite kind of coffee to order, cold brew.
Spire Drink Co. Cold Brew Review:
This cold brew had a lighter body, but it did sit for a little bit with ice, which may have caused the body to lighten up some. That did not detract from the flavor at all though. The coffee started with mild toasty notes, these were not very strong and I was surprise by this based on my experience with the house blend. My concern was quickly resolved in the middle, as the flavor starts to bolden. The middle had a nice coca-like sweetness. These cocoa notes give way to a bold chocolatey finish with a great balance of cocoa and sweetness.
Overall, I really liked this cold brew a lot. It started out a bit slow, but the finish was well worth it as I love a chocolatey cold brew. This was an outstanding offering, and Spire was two for two thus far.
Up third was the first of two named drinks I ordered and the last of the coffee drinks I tried. A white chocolate and blackberry latte named The Dice.
Spire Drink Co. Dice review:
Dice had a very rich berry nose, it was slightly sweet with a good fruitiness. The body had a great creaminess and the frothiness was great. The drink had a rich and sweet white chocolate front, almost like drinking a hot chocolate. The chocolate notes remained strong in the middle, but hints of berry started to come through. The blackberry flavors really came through in the finish, as the sweetness from the chocolate remained, but a slightly tart fruitiness closed out the experience.
If you have spent much time here you will know I prefer black coffee, but I am broadening my horizons for this blog. While I would have liked more of the espresso to show through, I really enjoyed the flavor profile of this drink. The chocolate and blackberry balance each other out, but each gets a chance to shine on its own as well. I would recommend this to any latte drinker out there. Danielle explained to me that this was the first drink that Spire was known for, and I can see why.
The last drink that I tried at Spire was one of their green tea based drinks. I was drawn to their honeydew melon and papaya green tea, called the Nicholas, as it sounded like an interesting combination of flavors.
Spire Drink Co. Nicolas review:
The first thing I noticed with the Nicholas was the honeydew, from the nose to the finish it was prominent through the entire drink. The nose was primarily honeydew, and smelled more like a fruit juice than a tea. This is not a bad thing, and the drink was light and refreshing. It was not overly sugary and did not taste like it had any sweeteners added.
The front was very sweet with with strong honeydew notes. The middle was melony and here was a noticeable shift from the honeydew flavor to the papaya. The drink finishes with the papaya notes giving it a citrusy sweetness. The finish was also the first time that I picked up on the green tea, which rounded the drink out well.
Overall the Nicholas was a bit too sweet for my preferences. While it was refreshing and not overly sugary, I would have liked to see the green tea standout a little more. It was not a bad drink at all, and if you are looking for a fruity and sweet kick of caffeine this one might be for you.
Spire Drink Co is a true hidden gem, and I would honestly say it would even be worth the 30 minute or so drive from Des Moines to check out. Danielle and Nicholas do a wonderful job running the shop and are such wonderful people. The drink menu features a wide range of unique lattes and teas, as well as other drinks like flavored lemonades (which are very popular) and boba tea. Their house blend and cold brew are outstanding as well and I truly think there is something on the menu that everyone would enjoy.
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